X-ray analyses

Innovative Solutions, through an array of X-ray based analytical techniques and multidisciplinary expertises, can offer a wide selection of services for the chemical and physical characterization of a number of materials: soils, sediments, rocks, wastes, fertilizers, recycled materials, atmospheric particles, agrifood products, cultural heritage pieces, biological samples, and so on…

X-ray powder diffractometry: allows the identification of crystalline compounds in a sample and to qualitatively and quantitatively determine the composition of solid crystalline samples such as: soils, sediments, rocks, cements, building materials, etc.

Micro X-ray fluorescence: allows to focus the X-rays down to a beamsize of 20 microns thus making this equipment capable of mapping the spatial distribution of elements from Na to U both in microscopic samples and in larger specimens. Being this technique non-destructive, this instrument is particularly suitable for the analysis of samples with a high scientific, artistic or commercial value.

Total reflection X-ray fluorescence: allows to detect extremely low concentrations (ppb) of elements from Al to U, both in liquid and solid matrices. The small sample volumes needed to perform this type of analysis make this instrument particularly suitable to study biological fluids as well as microscopic samples.

High resolution micro X-ray tomography: allows to investigate directly and non-destructively the internal structure of solid samples with a resolution down to few hundreds of nanometers. With this technique the internal porosity of materials can be easily assessed and visualised. Since this analytical methodology is non-destructive, samples of high scientific, artistic or commercial value can be easily imaged and studied.

Field emission scanning electron microscopy and EDX microanalysis: allows the observation of all types of samples, both organic and inorganic, with an extremely high resolution and down to the nanometer scale. In addition, the observed field of view can be chemically analysed by means of a microanalysis system which allows to get detailed elemental distribution maps. This instrument is particularly suitable to study particulate matter.